Circle Star Quilt

My Circle Star Quilt was inspired by the starting

of my Goldfish Quilt, (which is still in pieces!)

I took Victoria Findlay Wolfe's 

Double Wedding Ring class last May up in Salem, MA.

As you know, I love taking a class.

Sewing in a group is tons of fun and inspiration!

Here are the start to all my archs.

 I used the templates for her Bright Lights, Big City Pattern

from her Double Wedding Ring Book.

Then I started playing around with them and voila!

Circle Stars.

It is so important to let your mind just fool around with shapes

and colors.  You never know what you'll find.

 

 So I made this little lovely right on the spot!

I knew I was going to make this quilt,

but I set it aside for the other 15 projects I have going.

 In September I came back to it.

 For a very special couple of peeps that I love.

 I hardly ever plan out a quilt, but I did this time.

It's so funny to actually have a pattern 

and layout in mind.  I never work this way.

Slowly I made my blocks.  I think they are 19.5" unfinished here.

 

I've always wanted to try star sashing too,

so the more stars the merrier!

 

While hosting these two loons,

the kid, and Gidget for a sweat shop day,

I finished all the sashing parts.

I love these two. 

They always brighten my day!

Pieces up on the wall!

 

All the parts sewn together!

 

Layering on the conference room table at work.

 

Binding away.

 

And finally a show and tell yesterday at my guild meeting.

 

I am so pleased with this quilt.

The unexpected block design,

the colors and star sashing.

I couldn't be happier!

And I can't wait to deliver it at the end of the month.

One for me . . . .

After I made the "little" one for the Sizzix Challenge,

I decided I needed a bigger one for me!

I used some of the leftovers from the first one,

cut up more of what I had,

Added in a few others!

I put all the rings together.

This it the traditional layout.

Then I thought, what if I twist the rings a bit.

Okay, but not a total score.

 

Then I thought, Keep the rings the opposite way of the 

setting centers.

Yes, Yes, Yes!

Mother's Day spent with the kid sewing

gave me a completed top.

AND a wonderful day with my kid . . . 

She and her boy also cooked me dinner.

All is right with the world.

Sweat Shop Sewing Monday

Yesterday Gidget, Mocha and the kid came over for a day of sewing.

We haven't done this in a while.  

Need to get back in the swing of sewing with these girls,

we always have so much fun together.  

Don't always produce a lot, but . . . . 

We giggle a lot!

Mocha likes to sit in your lap while you try to sew.

It's all about Mocha!  Hehe.  She is the sweetest.

The kid was quilting a large quilt, so I let her use my Juki.

Gidget had about ten different projects she had started

and couldn't figure out what to finish.  Bags, draft dodgers, scarves.

See, WIP and UFO's are not just for quilters!!

The kid's scrappy trip around the world is so beautiful!

I forgot to take a full shot of it.  I need to do that!

We had two cutting tables, three sewing machines and an 

ironing board station.  All in my tiny little penthouse!

I made this cute little bag.

I'm very proud of myself, I just eyeballed Gidget's little bag

and wung it.  I think I may have caught the bag bug now!

They are cute, fast and fun!

I also worked on HSTs.  I had a bunch of solid squares,

so I have been sewing them up and now I must trim them all.

Hummmm.  Think they may become a quilted bag!  Hehe.

 The kid got her binding sewn on.  

(And her laundry done.)

Now she can hand sew it at her house.

Gidget put binding on a little quilted mat she made too.

and Mocha?

Well Mocha guarded the door.

Fiercely.

Mocha is a great guard dog.

Hehe.

Hope you all have a great week!

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2014

It's that time again!

Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival.

If this is your first time visiting, welcome.

If you are a regular, you've seen it all before!  Sorry.

This little quilt started in January of 2012. I had no plan.

I just started making four patch flying geese in bright colors.

I knew I wanted total chaos.

Geese flying everywhere!

Then I thought it needed something else.

So I made some of these block in block beauties.

I just kept sewing and sewing.

No plan.

When I had a ton of blocks, I started playing with a layout.

Each two geese block equaled the block in block.

So a nine patch is how I started.

Nine units, in any combination.

This was the fun part.  Making each block different and crazy.

The blocks came together pretty quickly because I was so addicted!

25 nine patches.

All foundation paper pieced for precision.

The back before peeling.

Hours of un-papering!

For the quilting, I marked a diagonal line with painters tape,

and sewed a straight line across the top, corner to corner.

Then I used the edge of my walking foot 

and did straight line channel quilting for the whole top.

This is one of my favorite quilts to date.

Some fussy cuts for the centers.

And a black and white check for the binding.

This one has little peas in a pod.

A nod to the kid!  

Straighten Up And Fly Right

58" x 58"

Machine pieced and quilted by me!

On my faithful Bernina 910, that I bought in 1986.

And the best part . . . . 

My quilt was featured in Rachel May's book!

Quilting with a Modern Slant.

The kid has the page next to mine too.

Thanks to Amy for another wonderful Festival!

Hope you are all having fun checking out all the quilts.

This and That . . .

Where does the time go?

I haven't done a post in a month, but I have been busy!

I'm finally finishing my Fractured quilt for the Quilting by the Lake Show.

And I know exactly who is going to get this beauty when it comes home!

I have been getting ready for our next Metro Mod meeting in June.

I did a bee block for my buddy.

I LOVE this one.

Thinking of how I can adapt this block to make a quilt for me!

I finished block 5 for the Pat Sloan quilt-a-long.

I am really loving this little project.  It's so fun to see everyone's blocks.

They are so different! 

Here are my five all together.

So fun!

I caved and bought a Singer Featherweight . . . 

I have always wanted one and well . . . 

Ebay is like a drug!

It's adorable and light and I love it!

Went to visit the munchkins a couple weeks ago.

I so love them!  They are a riot.

I really miss having little ones around . . . 

Am I just saying that because I can go home?

Hehe. Lots of action!

The kid and I were featured in a article in our local paper 

for Mother's Day.

Someone told them about Rachel May's book that we are featured in.

It was really quite lovely to enjoy our 15 minutes of fame!

And here is a picture of me and my Mum.

I think I'm about two there.

We had matching velvet dresses.

Those were the days!

Happy Mother's Day! OXOX